Catalyser for clean rainforest air
(PhysOrg.com) -- The atmospheres robust capacity to clean itself is owed to the consistent recycling of its cleaning agent. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have now clarified exactly how hydroxyl radicals, which break up organic compounds in the air, are recycled. According to their findings, the reactive molecules can be produced when isoprene is broken down. Isoprene is released into the atmosphere by plants and was, until now, only known for using up hydroxyl radicals during its chemical cleaning. However, it appears that at low hydroxyl concentrations, more of the atmospheric cleaning agent is produced than is removed. Therefore, isoprene is acting as a sort of buffer, which can mitigate the increase in greenhouse gases and other air pollutants.